Lady Matilda Crawley
by Pinklover98
Summary: Matilda Crawley is the youngest of the Crawley daughters, happy to trail around after her older sisters, not fussed by society events, until she meets a new doctor in town. Will the youngest Crawley change her ways?
1. One

**This is going to be kind of AU, it will be set between season 2 and 3, Sybil and Tom will be living at Downton, and Sybil probably won't die in this story. Matilda is 2 years younger than Sybil so will be 22 at the start of this story. **

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"Excuse me Miss, I don't suppose you could point me in the direction of Dr Clarkson's office, could you?" Matilda whips her head up at the light touch on her arm, the motion shifting her from her own world in her head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." The young man apologises, giving Matilda a soft smile.

"No, don't worry." She replies, waving her hand in the air. "Dr Clarkson's office, was it?"

"I didn't think you'd heard." The young man jokes in reply, watching as Matilda passes a handful of coins over to the lady behind the market stall, taking the paper bag off her before turning to face him once again. Matilda smiles in response, motioning for the man to follow her, him having to jog to keep up with her quick pace down the street. "I, uh, I haven't even introduced myself, how rude." He reprimands himself, stepping in front of Matilda who raises her eyebrows but stops all the same, glancing down at the hand he had extended to her. She politely takes his hand in hers, giving it a firm shake and a warm smile. "Jack Lawerence." He states. "And you are..."

"You're clearly not from around here, are you Mr Lawerence?" Matilda asks, clasping her hands in front of her.

"Ah, no. I'm not." He replies, blushing slightly. "Is it that obvious?" Matilda shrugs in reply, a smirk playing on her lips.

"I'm Matilda." She says, taking his hand in hers to pull him down the street after her, quickly dropping it again once she is satisfied he is following. "Matilda Crawley. And if you want to get to Dr Clarkson's before he goes home, we'd better hurry up!"

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"Here we are." Matilda states, coming to a stop outside the doctor's office.

"Thank you, Matilda." Jack replies, coming to stand in front of the young girl. "I really do appreciate your help."

"Of course." She replies with a smile, prompting a smile of his own.

"I uh, I hope I'll get to see you again Miss Matilda." He says quietly, Matilda ducking her head down to hide her smile.

"Lady Matilda!" Comes a call from behind the pair, Matilda quickly turning her head to see Thomas Barrow stood across the street behind them, waving her over. "Come on, I'll walk you home." Matilda throws him a smile, turning back to Jack, rising on to her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek whispering into his ear "I hope so too, Mr Lawerence." Jack stands still, watching as Matilda walks backwards towards Thomas, only breaking eye contact with him when she reaches him, turning to walk with him down the lane.

"Lady Matilda..." Jack repeats softly to himself, watching her go before turning and heading into the surgery.

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"Knock knock," Matilda calls, lightly tapping on the door to Sybil's room.

"Come in!" Her sister calls back, Matilda quickly pushing the door open and promptly flopping back on to Sybil's bed.

"Hello Anna." The youngest Crawley sister greets the maid.

"Hello Lady Matilda." She replies politely, smiling at Matilda through the mirror.

"Where did you disappear to today Tilda?" Sybil asks, watching her sister through the mirror desperately try, but fail to hide her grin. "Matilda..." Sybil draws out with a laugh, eyes flitting up to meet Anna's in the mirror.

"Just into town." Matilda replies vaguely, refusing to make eye contact with her older sister.

"And what did you do in town?" Sybil questions, turning on the stool to watch Matilda.

"Oh. I just bought some new ribbon..." she replies, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

"And..." Sybil prompts, leaning forwards on the stool, Anna carrying on tidying things away with an amused smile on her face.

"And...met a very handsome newcomer." Matilda gives in, resting on her side to face Sybil.

"Did you now?" She teases

"I did indeed."

"Ah, there you are Matilda. You must come and get ready Darling." Cora calls from the doorway interrupting the girls' conversation, watching in amusement as her youngest daughter groans and dramatically slides off the bed and on to the floor. Anna hides her smile, simply holding out a hand for the young lady to take, gently pulling her off the floor, everyone in the house being used to the dramatics of the youngest Crawley girl.

"Must I come to dinner mama, I'd much rather lay in bed and fantasise about Mr Handsome from town." Matilda teases, winking at Sybil as Cora raises her eyebrows, shaking her head as she shoos Matilda out of the room.

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"Sybil." Matilda hisses as the two sisters make their way down the stairs later that evening. "Sybil that's him." Sybil slows her pace, allowing her sister to catch up with her, glancing around the room to figure out who Matilda was talking about.

"Who?" Sybil replies, taking Matilda's hand in hers as they reach the bottom of the stairs.

"Mr Handsome!" Matilda exclaims under her breath, Sybil's head swivelling to face Matilda, eyes locked on her sister.

"Where? Which one?" She replies, still scanning the room.

"That one. With the dark hair and gorgeous chocolate brown eyes."

"I can't see anyone's eyes from this far away." Sybil complains, tucking her arm inside Matilda's.

Across the room, Jack glances up from the conversation he had been having with Isobel and Dr Clarkson. He looks around the room as he takes a sip of his drink, eyes landing on the two youngest Crawley daughters as they reach the bottom of the stairs. His eyes widen and he lets out a cough as he chokes on his drink, having recognised who had just joined the group in the foyer.

"Are you alright?" Isobel asks, patting Jack on the back as he lets out a few more coughs.

"Uh, yes. Just fine. Thank you. If you'll excuse me." Jack replies, stepping away from the group to head across the room.

"Eep! He's coming over. Sybil! How do I look?" Matilda fiddles with her dress, smoothing down invisible wrinkles as Sybil continues to eye the crowd, eyes widening when she spots 'Mr Handsome'.

"Ok. Now I understand...stand up Tilda! He's nearly here!" Sybil replies, tugging on her sisters hand to make her stand up right. Just before the young man could reach the two sisters, Carson calls for everyone's attention, Jack stopping in his tracks with a sigh as Carson invites everyone into the dining room.

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The two sisters spend the entire dinner eyeing each other over their food, the youngest sister's eyes occasionally flitting over to Jack, who was often found to be missing out on parts of conversations from being distracted by watching Matilda. The minute the dinner ends, Sybil heads around the table, subtly grabbing Matilda's hand and pulling her from the room.

"Oh, my, goodness." She breathes as they follow their sisters, mother and grandmother into the drawing room.

"I know." Matilda groans, bumping into her sister with a laugh. "I'm so tense. That was hard work!"

"You barely said a word!" Sybil teases, the two sisters still laughing as they enter the drawing room.

"I couldn't! I didn't know what would come out if I tried to form a sentence!" Sybil drops down on to a sofa, Matilda quickly following her, both giggling quietly.

"Girls?" Cora calls from across the room. "Is everything ok?" The girls straighten in their seats, holding in their giggles as they nod at their mother.

"Oh no!" Matilda groans, tucking her head into Sybil's neck as their father enters the room, Jack and the rest of the men from the meal following him.

"Sit up Tilda!" Sybil laughs quietly, nudging her sister upright.

"Ladies, I'd like to introduce you to Doctor Jack Lawerence." Robert announces, the girls all rising to greet the new doctor.

"He's a doctor!" Matilda hisses excitedly at Sybil who barely holds in her laugh.

"I know. I heard!" Sybil whispers back, smiling at Tom who makes his way over to her, winding his arm around her waist.

"Doctor Lawerence will be working with Doctor Clarkson at the surgery, lending an extra pair of hands." Robert continues as Mary steps up to introduce herself to the young doctor. "These are my daughters," he says as the girls file up to meet Jack. "Mary, Edith, Sybil and Matilda." When Matilda reaches Jack, he takes her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it, giving her a small, knowing smile.


	2. Two

**Chapter two **

"Lady Matilda." Jack greets as he takes a seat in the armchair beside Matilda. She looks up from where she had been swirling her drink around in the glass, making eye contact with Jack with a smile.

"Doctor Lawerence." She replies, teasing evident in her tone and the twinkle in her eyes.

"Had I known you were..." Jack starts, only to be cut off by Matilda.

"But you didn't." She cuts in, laying a gentle hand on his arm. "And you treated me like a normal person. Which I liked. I hate all this fuss and fancy." Jack nods slowly, a smile breaking across his face. "So...just call me Matilda." Jack cuts his eyes across the room, glancing around at Matilda's family.

"Matilda seems...awfully improper...inappropriate even."

"Up to you." She replies with a shrug

"Well then Matilda. I'm just Jack." Matilda nods this time, removing her hand from his arm, realising she had left it to sit there.

"How lovely to meet you properly, Jack." She states. "Shall we get some air?"

"Lead the way." Jack quickly replies, sticking a finger in his collar, tugging it away from his neck.

"I'm taking doctor Lawerence to see the gardens." Matilda announces as the pair head for the door.

"But it's pitch black outside." Mary replies

"Well forgive us Mary for wanting some fresh air!" Matilda quips back, rolling her eyes at her oldest sister as she heads out the door.

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"It's lovely out here." Jack comments, copying Matilda as she leans against the stone wall separating the garden from the house.

"You should come back when it's light," she replies, looking over at him, watching him rake his eyes across the gardens. "Take a walk around."

"Maybe I will." He says, his eyes meeting hers.

"Just maybe?" She questions, turning to perch on the wall, Jack still stood beside her.

"Depends if a certain Lady Crawley would give me a tour." He replies, glancing over at Matilda.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I think the Lady Crawleys of this house are awfully busy." Matilda teases in response.

"Is that so?" Jack replies, matching her teasing tone as she nods.

"However, I do happen to know someone who knows all the best hiding spots and hidden gems of the Downton gardens." She says with a grin, Jack's face breaking into a smile

"And who might that be?"

"Take a guess."

"Hmm...a young Crawley girl that may need time away from fuss and fancy?"

"How did you know?" Matilda gasps, acting shocked as Jack lets out a laugh.

"So, you'll give me a tour if I come back?"

"When you come back," she corrects him. "I would be delighted to give you a tour of the house and gardens." Jack smiles at this, taking Matilda's hand and lifting it to his lips, pressing a light kiss there. "I may be a Lady, but you can kiss me on the cheek if you wanted to." She jokes, Jack hiding his smile as he steps closer to her, pressing a lingering kiss on her cheek, her hand still tucked in his.

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That evening, after everyone had left, Sybil knocks on Matilda's door, slipping into her sister's bed to keep warm.

"So? What happened with Mr Handsome?" She asks, resting on her side, facing Matilda.

"Not much." Matilda replies with a shrug, eyes on the book in her hands that she had just taken from the side table. "He just kissed me on the cheek is all."

"Matilda!" Sybil exclaims with a laugh, swotting at her sister's arm, pulling the book down with her other hand to see Matilda's face properly.

"Oh, I know! How very improper of me! But he's so lovely Sybil..." Matilda replies, dropping her head back on to the head rest, placing the book back onto the side table.

"Lovely to look at too..." Sybil comments with a smirk.

"Hey! You've got Tom. Leave this one for me!" Matilda jokes, giving her sister a shove.

"I'm only joking Tilda. He does seem very lovely." Sybil replies with a laugh.

"He's going to come back, have a look around the gardens." Matilda replies, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"Hmm, just have a look around the gardens?" Sybil teases, tugging on Matilda's braid, her younger sister shaking her off.

"Maybe...there'll be a picnic set up somewhere...completely coincidentally of course!" Matilda says, dropping her head to her shoulder to look over at Sybil, a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh of course!" Sybil laughs, curling up on to her side. "You really like him Tilda, don't you?"

"I barely know him." Matilda protests, looking away from her sister who raises her eyebrows.

"But you feel something. Something different. Don't you?" Sybil continues, lifting her hand to gently turn Matilda's head to look at her. "It's ok to admit it Tilda. You want to get to know him."

"He's different to other men I've met before." Matilda replies, sliding down on the bed to copy Sybil's position. "He doesn't get all the fancy stuff. You could see that. And I like that. It's refreshing Sybil." Sybil nods in agreement, eyes darting up to the door as it opens revealing Tom in the doorway.

"Sorry-" he starts, only to be cut off by Matilda.

"No! Don't worry!" She says, sliding off the bed and moving towards the door. "I'm going into town tomorrow Sybil, if you wanted to come with me? Have a look around?" Sybil let's out a laugh as Matilda winks at her, nodding in reply. "Sleep well." She blows kisses to her older sister as she backs out of the room, slipping past Tom.


End file.
